10/07/2025
mRNA VACCINES
There has been much discussion about the vaccines
that can be developed using mRNA. Most recently, of
course, has been the vaccine against Covid-19. I encourage
every patient to make their own decisions about getting
any vaccine, but I also want anyone to make their choice
based on good scientific information. What prompted me
to write this article was the decision of the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) to cancel $500 million
dollars in mRNA research funding. To be clear, mRNA
medicine has only recently entered the public eye, but
the research and development is decades old. Scientific
data has demonstrated the efficacy of mRNA vaccines.
mRNA is a piece of genetic material which tells
the body what type of protein it should make. In the
case of the Covid-19 vaccine it tells the body to make
a harmless piece of protein found on the Covid-19
virus, triggering an immune response. During the
recent pandemic, Covid-19 vaccine prevented millions
of deaths worldwide. In 2023, unvaccinated patients
were 6 times more likely to be hospitalized and 12
times more likely to die from a Covid-19 infection.
The potential uses of mRNA are not limited to
infectious or respiratory diseases. Current research
shows that mRNA medicine may be used to fight
cancers, including lung cancer. Vaccine development
and distribution is the first line of defense for
preventing infectious disease outbreaks. We should
not be limiting promising research and making it
less likely to be prepared for future health crises.
